Baked Apples are perfect for an easy fall dessert. They are warm, delicious and healthy too. You will love the smell of baking apples in the oven as an added bonus.
INGREDIENTS
2 1/2 Tablespoons Blanched Almonds
1/2 Cup Plumped Dried Apricots
1 Piece Drained Preserved Ginger
1 Tablespoon Honey
1 Tablespoon Syrup From The Preserved Ginger Jar
4 Tablespoons Rolled Oats
4 Large Baking Apples
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Using a sharp knife, chop almonds, apricots, and preserved ginger very finely. Set aside until needed. Place honey and syrup in saucepan and heat until honey has melted. Stir in oats and cook gently over a low heat for 2 minutes. Remove saucepan from heat and stir in almonds, apricots, and preserved ginger. Carefully cut off apple tops. Core apples. Place apples in ovenproof dish and fill cavities with stuffing. Place apple tops back on. Pour just enough water into dish to come about one-third of the way up the apples. Bake in oven for 40 minutes or until tender. Remove from oven and serve immediately. Serves 4
Today is National Cheesecake Day!
I love cheesecake. Growing up I would go blackberry picking in my neighborhood. There was always some area with overgrown blackberry bushes. Picking up my childhood sandbox bucket I would set myself to the task of bringing home a bucketful of blackberries. Not many would make it home and the evidence would be all over my face.
INGREDIENTS
40 Crushed Vanilla Wafers
6 Tablespoons Melted Butter
16 Ounces Softened Cream Cheese
3/4 Cup Sugar
2 Tablespoons Unbleached Flour
2 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract
1 Cup Creamed Cottage Cheese
1/4 Cup Cherry Brandy
3 Eggs
4 Cups Fresh Blackberries
Preheat your oven to 375° F. In a medium size bowl stir together crushed vanilla wafers and butter. Press the mixture into the bottom and up the sides of an 8 inch spring form pan and set aside. In a large bowl stir together cream cheese, 3/4 cup sugar, flour and vanilla. Beat with an electric mixer on low until smooth and set aside. Place the cottage cheese in a food processor and blend until smooth. Incorporate into the cream cheese mixture. Next, stir in the 1/4 cup cherry brandy. Beat in the eggs on low speed until combined. Don’t over mix as you don’t want to incorporate too much air into the batter. Pour half of the cheese cake mixture into the crust lined pan. Spread 1 cup of the blackberries on top. Top with the remaining cheese cake mixture and 1/2 cup of the blackberries. Place in a shallow baking pan in the preheated oven. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes until center appears almost set. Remove from the oven. Cool on a wire rack for 20 minutes. Loosen the sides and cool completely. Cover and chill for 2 hours. To serve cut the cheesecake into wedges and top each with the blackberries. Serve with additional blackberry sauce if you like. Serves 10
Dark Chocolate Macadamia Nut Crispies
The toasted macadamia nuts and dark chocolate are what makes these treats sing. They’re sticky to make, but you’ll have fun licking your fingers!
INGREDIENTS
1/4 Cup Unsalted Butter
2 Cups Dark Chocolate Chips
10 Ounces Marshmallows
8 Ounces Toasted Macadamia Nuts
6 Cups Rice Krispie Type Cereal
Preheat your oven to 350º F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the whole macadamia nuts onto the baking sheet. Place into the oven for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool. Cut the macadamia nuts in half and set aside. In a large size saucepan melt the butter over a low heat. Add the marshmallows and continue to stir until the marshmallows have completely melted. Add the macadamia nuts and dark chocolate chips. Immediately remove from the heat and stir in the rice cereal. Coat the cereal well with the melted marshmallow mixture. Using a silicone spatula, press the mixture evenly into a 13x9x2 inch pan that has either been greased or lined with parchment paper. You will need to work quickly. Let cool and then cut into squares. Makes approximately 24 squares.
As a child I used to sing the song, “Hot Cross Buns” while jumping rope or skipping around the block. “Hot cross buns! Hot cross buns! One ha’ penny, two ha’ penny, hot cross buns! If you have no daughters, give them to your sons. One ha’ penny, two ha’ penny, hot cross buns.”
Today is Good Friday and on this day the bells are silenced. In France the children are told that the bells have flown to Rome to return only on Holy Saturday. In Italy on Good Friday children are even warned not to laugh while playing, because of the solemnity of the day. In certain places this day is observed by so strict a fast that it is often called the Black Fast, because many do not eat at all until sundown. However, one article of food is intimately associated with and eaten on this day, and that is the Hot Cross Bun.
Hot Cross Buns originated in England, and more than one nursery rhyme and ballad contain references to them. Saffron plays a part in the better-class English Hot Cross Bun, but as a rule they are small and plain, well browned and with icing on top in the form of a cross.
INGREDIENTS
1 Package Active Dry Yeast
1 Cup Warm Milk
5 Tablespoons Softened Butter
1/2 Cup Brown Sugar
2 Large Beaten Eggs
1/2 Teaspoon Ground Nutmeg
1/2 Teaspoon Ground Cloves
1/2 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
1 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
3 1/2 Cups Unbleached Flour
3/4 Cup Dried Currants
3 Tablespoons Milk Mixed With 3 Tablespoons Sugar
1 Tablespoon Cold Milk
1 Cup Sifted Powdered Sugar
1/2 Teaspoon Lemon Juice
In a small size bowl mix the yeast with 4 tablespoons of the warm milk. Set aside for 5 minutes. In a medium size bowl combine 4 tablespoons of the softened butter and brown sugar. When the yeast looks frothy stir it into the butter and brown sugar mixture. Add the beaten eggs. Add the nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon and salt. Add the remaining warm milk and mix well. Beat in the flour one cup at a time until a soft ball of dough can be gathered together. Place the dough on a floured work surface and lightly knead in the currants, adding more flour if necessary to keep the dough from sticking. Kneading should take no more than a few minutes. Grease a large size bowl with the remaining butter. Place the dough in the bowl and turn the dough to butter all sides. Cover and let sit in a warm place for 1 1/2 hours. The dough should be doubled. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Punch the dough down and then divide it in half. Next divide each piece in half again. Divide each portion of the dough into six equal pieces and shape each into a ball. Place the balls of dough onto the parchment lined baking sheets leaving 2 inches between them. Set aside and cover lightly with tea towels or waxed paper for 1 hour. The dough should double in size. Preheat your oven to 400º F. Carefully slash a cross into the top of each bun using a sharp knife. Cut through the skin of the dough at least 1/4 inch deep. Try not to compress the bun as you cut. Place into the oven and bake for 20 minutes until they are lightly browned. Just before they come out of the oven bring the milk and sugar mixture to a boil in a small saucepan. As soon as the buns are done brush them with the milk and sugar glaze. Allow the buns to cool for 30 minutes and then serve them while they are still warm. If you have not cut the cross into the tops of the buns the cross can be applied with the icing. The buns must be completely cooled before the icing is applied. To make the icing: mix the powdered sugar with the cold milk and lemon juice. Using the handle of a spoon or chopstick spread the icing to form a cross on top or to fill the cross shape cut. Makes 24
My pièce de résistance is a beautiful pound cake swimming in silky-smooth whipped cream topped with fresh and fragrant berries.
INGREDIENTS
1 Cup Packed Light Brown Sugar
1 Cup Softened Butter
5 Eggs
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1 3/4 Cup Unbleached Flour
1/2 Teaspoon Baking Powder
1/4 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
Sweetened Whipped Cream
Assorted Berries
Preheat your oven to 350º F. Grease and flour a 9x5x3 inch loaf pan. In a large size bowl, beat the sugar and butter until fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Add the vanilla. In a separate bowl combine the flour, baking powder and kosher salt. Gradually add the flour mixture into the sugar mixture. Pour the batter into the loaf pan and bake for 1 hour. Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes before turning out onto a rack to cool completely. Garnish with berries and whipped cream. Serves 8
Sweetened Whipped Cream
1 Cup Heavy Whipping Cream
3 Tablespoons Sugar
1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
Chill a medium size bowl in the freezer for 1 hour. Remove the bowl from the freezer and add the whipping cream, sugar and vanilla. Beat on medium high until soft peaks form. Serve immediately or refrigerate up to 3 hours.
Make your own Valentine’s Day Truffles and serve them to your sweetheart. Even better for you if you don’t have a sweetheart so that you get to eat them all yourself!
INGREDIENTS
2 Pounds Good Quality Chocolate
1 Quart Heavy Cream
1/4 Pound Butter
1/3 Cup Grand Marnier (or liqueur of choice)
Cocoa Powder
Melt chocolate and cream over a double boiler and whisk in butter & liqueur. Continue to whisk as the mixture cools and thickens. Pour into a storage container and refrigerate. To serve, scoop with a melon baller and roll in powdered cocoa. Truffles are soft and are not suitable for packaging as gifts. These truffles are easy to make and melt in your mouth good. Makes approximately 32
The blizzard is on its way and time to make fudge. If you love peanut butter then you will LOVE my Peanut Butter Fudge. Make lots of extra and give this fudge away for Valentine’s Day. Stay safe and warm this weekend.
INGREDIENTS
1 Pound Confectioners’ Sugar
1/2 Cup Milk
13 Ounces Peanut Butter
7 Ounces Marshmallow Cream
In a large saucepan add the milk and sugar. Bring to a boil and let boil for 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the peanut butter and marshmallow cream. Pour into a greased 8×8 inch pan. Place in the fridge for at least 4 hours. Slice into fudge size pieces. Makes 16 to 20 pieces.